The sprinters that are left in the race after two full-on mountain stages will be looking for a reward for their application and commitment on the lengthy road to Asti. Yet, the riders who manage to infiltrate the breakaway will be spurred on by the thought that there are unlikely to be many teams ready to commit to a chase this far into the race, especially on a stage sandwiched between two days with more than 5,000 metres of vertical gain.
At 253 kilometres, this is significantly the longest stage of the race, heading south from the Alps to pass Milan on its western side to reach the Piedmont town famed for its sparkling wine. There’s not a rise of note at any point on the route, as it heads south and west away from the start town of Morbegno. The initial section to Lecco will look impressive as it skirts the eastern shore of Lake Como, before turning due west to Como itself and south again to reach Saronno, famed for its amaretto liqueur.
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The first intermediate sprint is located at Vigevano, the route continuing on across the River Po plain to the day’s second sprint at Masio. From there, 25km remain to the finish, mostly on straight roads that will aid teams chasing after the break, if any of them are still determined to do so.
A series of roundabouts provide the principal complication on the way into Asti. There’s a sharp left-hand bend just inside the kilometre banner, then a right turn soon after, followed by a 550-metre-long finishing straight to the line.
